Slug casting machine



Sept. 28, 1937. A. w. F. GUEST 2,094,212

SLUG CASTING MACHINE f Filed Aug. 2s, 1935 i s sheets-sheet -1 NVENTOR ATTORNE y Sept. 28, 1937. A. w. F. GUEST SLUG CASTING MACHINE Filed Aug.23, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N VENTOR .-1 TTORNE V sept. 2s, 1937. A. w.F. GUEST- 2,094,212

SLUG CASTING MACHINE l'iled Au-g. 23, 1933 3 Shee'tS-S'neel'I 5 INVENTOR4MM www A TTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES SLUG CASTINGMACHINE- Alfred W. F. Guest, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to MergenthalerLinotype Company, a corporation of New York Application August 23',1933, Serial No. 686,356

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in typographical or slug castingmachines wherein molten metal is forced by a pump fromV a metal pot intoa mold and against a composed line of matrices to form a type bar orslug.

In such machines the composed line of matrices is presentedmomentarilyagainst one face of the mold; and the mouthpiece of the metalpotis presented against the other face of the mold after which moltenmetal is injected by the action of the pump from the metal pot, throughthe mouthpiece, into the mold, and against the line of matrices to formthe type bar or slug. The composedr line, when thus presentedagainst/the face V of the mold, is confined endwise between a pair ofvise jaws, and prior to the operation: of the pump it is justified orexpanded to a desired length during which operation the right hand visejaw is moved outwardly to a predetermined position against a stop andtheline is rendered fluid tight to prevent the escape of molten metaltherethrough during'the casting operation, and to insure thatmolten'metal does not escape through the line during the castingoperation it is customary to provide the pump ofsuch machines with alocking mechanism'which is automatically released to permit theoperation of the pump when the right hand vise jaw is moved outwardly toits predetermined position against the stop and the line is renderedfluid tight. While this arrangement is satisfactory to preventthe-escape of molten metal through the line, it frequently happens thatthe face of the mold.- is Ynot tight against the line during the castingoperation and asa result molten metal escapes therebetween.

. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is: to provide meansto prevent the escape of molten metal between the face of the mold andthe line, as well as to prevent the escapev of molten metal through theline during the slug casting operation, and to this end the machine isprovided with a locking mechanism which prevents the operation of thepump and which is automatically released only when the line between vtheconfining vise jaws is 'tight and the face ofthe mold is tight againstthe line. 'I'he locking mechanism desirably employed, in the presentembodiment of.y the invention, is the same asis commonly'used-inmachines of this sort and comprises a fore-and-aft main leverfwhich ispivotally mounted intermediate its ends on the'main frame of themachine. The movement of the lever to free the pump, however, instead ofbeingdepend.- ent lsolely upon the movement of the right-hand vise jawoutwardly against its fixed stop isalso dependent upon the forwardmovement of the moldV into'engagement with the composed line. For aclearer understanding of this invention reference may be had totheaccompanying drawin gsginf which,l the invention is shown as'vappliedtoa typographical machine of the sort generally shown and-described inU. S. Letters Patent No. 436,532, grantedtovO. Mergenthaler onSeptember- 16 1890but it is to be understood that the invention isequally applicable to other typesof line casting machines. In thedrawings theinvention is shownmerely in preferred form and by way ofexample but obviously many changes and variations may be made thereinand in its mode ofapplication which will be still comprised withinj itsspirit. It should, therefore, be understood that -the invention is not4limited to any specific form or embodiment except in so far as suchlim.- itations are specified in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view with portions broken away of atypographical machine embodying the principlesl of the present`invention.

Figure 2'is a-top plan view.

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan View showing the lever mechanism priorto the line justication operation.

Figure 4- isv an enlarged front elevational view of the lever releasingmechanism prior to the line justification operation.

Figure 5 is-a top view, in section, showing the mold brought forwardinto engagement with the line.

lig.` 6 isy anl enlarged .front elevational View, partially in section,of the lever releasing mechanism after the line has been justified andthe mold brought forward into engagement with theline.

As shown, the composed line comprises a plurality of character bearingmatrices I0 and interposedspacebands II confined endwise in front of amold I2 between a left-hand vise jaw I3 and angoppostely disposed,right-hand vise jaw I4. Asis usual in machines of this type the visejaws I3 and I4,are slidably mounted in a vise frame I5. Prior to theline casting operation the line thus confined between the vise jaws I3and I4 is justified or elongatedvto av predetermined length by elevatingthe line justification bar I6 against the lower ends of the spacebandsyI I, thereby expanding the spacebands II` whichrserve to.force the visejaws outwardly to predetermined positions, the left-hand vise jaw I3being forced against an adjustablel stop i3d carried by the vise frameI5 and`r the right-hand vise jaw I4 being forced against a fixed stopIlla. which is also carried by the vise frame I5. Asthe spacebands areeX`- panded and the Yvise jaws move outwardly against the stops thematrices and spacebands are forced tightly and firmly against oneanother and theend matrices are forced tightlyy and rmly against theinnerV faces ofthe vise Vjaws thus providing fluid tight jointstherebetween.

The mold I2- employed in machines of this class .has aslot or cavity I1.therein for the casting of ling rodi.

the type line or slug and it is mounted on a mold wheel i3 which carriesit forwardly against the rear face of the line prior to the line castingoperation and away from the rear face of the line after the type line orslug has been cast.

The casting meclianism employed in machines of this class comprises theusual metal pot I3 wherein molten type metal is stored and in the lowerend of which a well (not shown) is positioned. A plunger is positionedin the well and'it is adapted to be reciprocated therein during thecasting operation by means of a plunger rod 20 which is connected at itsupper end to an actuat- As usual the metal pot is mounted to rock ortilt forwardly into casting position against the rear face of the moldI2 prior to the line casting operation and rearwardly away from the moldafter the casting operation has been completed, and while the metal potis so positioned against the rear face of 'the mold the plunger operatesto force molten metal into the mold and against the line of matrices toform a type line or slug. Such movement of the mold and the metal pot toand from casting position and the manner of injecting the molten typemetal from the metal pot into the meld and against the line to produce atype line or slug is the same as commonly take place in typographicalmachines of the class referred to and further explanation thereof isdeemed unnecessary except to state that it is customary to provide suchmachines with a locking mechanism which prevents the reciprocation ofthe plunger until the line between the vise jaws is fluid tight.

The locking device, as usual, comprises a main lever 23 pivotallymounted intermediate its ends on a pivot pin 2d which extends upwardlyfrom the main frame of the machine. The rear end of the main leverterminates in a yoke 25 which engages the forward end 26 of a secondarylever 21. The secondary lever 2l is likewise pivotally mountedintermediate its end on a pivot pin 28 which also extends upwardly fromthe main frame of the machine. The rear end of the secondary lever ismaintained, by means of a spring 3i, beneath a stop shoulder 3i) whichis carried by the actuating rod 2i. The front end of the main lever 23extends forwardly beyond the front of the vise jaw i4 and that portionof the lever adjacent the end of the vise jaw is provided with anadjustable screw 32. An outward movement of the forward end of the mainlever produces an inward movement of the rear end of the yoke 25 and aninward movement of the yoke causes an inward movement of the front endand an outward movement of the rear end of the secondary lever 2l'.Consequently, when the front end of the main lever 23 is moved outwardlya suiiicient distance the rear end of the secondary lever 2l is forcedoutwardly, against the action of the spring 3 I, from beneath the stopshoulder 3i), thus permitting the reciprocation of the plunger. It willbe observed that the fo-rward ends of the levers are short as comparedwith the rear ends, the result being that a comparatively short movementof the outer end of the main lever 23 is suincient to release t eplunger.

In accordance with the present invention the release of the lockingmechanism is effected only when the line between the vise jaws i3 and I4is iiuid tight and the face of the mold I2 is pressed tightly againstthe line of matrices, and to this end the right-hand vise jaw I4 isprovided with movable co-acting plunger rods 33 and 34. The plunger rod33 is slidably mounted in an opening which extends through the jaw I4 infront of the mold I2 and in the direction of travel of the mold as themold is moved forward into casting position. The plunger rod 34 isslidably mounted in a cavity which extends upwardly and outwardlythrough the central portion of the jaw from the opening in which theplunger rod 33 is positioned and which opens from the right end face ofthe jaw opposite the head of the adjusting screw 32. It is thus seenthat the plunger rod 34 is'disposed in the jaw i4 in a plane at rightangles to the rod 33,. The upper end of the plunger rod 34 is beveled soas to conform with the end face of the vise jaw and it is normallymaintained flush therewith by a leaf spring 35. The lower end of theplunger rod 311i is also beveled and engages a beveled face at the outerend of the plunger rod 33. The inner end of the plunger rod 33 extends aslight distance beyond the inner face of the jaw I4 and it is engaged bythe mold i2 as the mold moves forward into casting position. To reducethe friction between the beveled faces of the cof-acting plunger rods, agroove 33 is cut in the plunger rod 33 at the outer end of the taperedface thereon, and to prevent displacement of the engaging beveled facesthe groove is cut a slight distance back of the outer end so as toprovide a retaining wall 3l. As the mold I2 moves forward into castingposition against the rear face of the line it engages the inner end ofthe plunger rod 33 and thus forces the rod outwardly in the direction oftravel of the mold. As the plunger rod 33 is thus forced outwardly, theco-acting plunger rod 34, due to the sliding contact between the beveledfaces, is forced upwardly and outwardly in a plane at right anglesthereto against the action of the spring 35 towards the head of thescrew 32. Under such conditions, it is seen that the plunger rod 34 iscarried to the right by two separate movements prior to the normal linecasting operation, one movement being produced as the jaw I4, in whichthe co-acting plunger rods are positioned, is forced to the right to apredetermined position against the fixed stop I4a during linejustification and the other movement being produced as the mold I2 ismoved forward into line casting position. The position of the screw 32is adjusted in the outer end of the main lever 23 so that it is moved tothe right suiiicient to release the plunger only when the plunger rod 34has been moved to the right to its extreme position by both movements.Consequently, when the jaw I4 is in its predetermined position againstthe fixed stop I 4a and the front face of the mold is advanced tightagainst the rear face of the line the plunger rod 34 is forcedoutwardly, thereby forcing the spring 35 against the head of the screw32 and thus forcing the end of the main lever 23 outwardly sufiicient torelease the locking mechanism and permit the reciprocation of theplunger. In the event, however, that the spacebands do not act properlyor that there are an insufficient number of matrices and spacebandsbetween the confining jaws so that the elements which make up the lineare not forced tight against one another and the jaw i4 is not moved toits predetermined position during line justincation, or in the eventthat the outer face of the mold I2 is not moved tight against the rearface of the line so as to force the plunger rod 34 outwardly to itsextreme position, the end of the screw 32 is either not engaged at allor else it is not moved outwardly sufficient to disengage the inner endof the secondary-lever 21 from beneath the shoulder 30 and as a resultthe plunger remains locked and reciprocation thereof is prevented.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws Afor holding acomposed line of matrioes, a mold, means for advancing said mold intoengagement with said line, a metal pot containing molten type metal, areciprocable plunger positioned in said pot and adapted to force moltenmetal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug,means for preventing the reciprocation of said plunger, and meanscarried by one of said jaws and operated by said mold as it advancesinto engagement with said line to render said plunger reciprocatingpreventing means inoperative when said jaw is in a predeterminedposition.

2. In a slug casting machine having a pair o-f vise jaws for holding acomposed line of matrices, a mold, means for advancing said mold intoengagement with said line,'a metal pot containing molten type metal, areciprocable plunger positioned in said pot and adapted to force moltenmetal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug,means operative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger, andcoacting plunger rods carried by one of said jaws and operated by saidmold as it advances into engagement with said line to render saidplunger reciprocation preventing means inoperative when said jaw is in apredetermined position.

3. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws for holding acomposed line of matrices, a mold, means for advancing said mold intoengagement with said line, a metal pot containing molten type metal, areciprocable plunger positioned in said pot and adapted to force moltenmetal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug, alocking device operative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger,and means carried by one of said jaws and responsive to the advancementof said mold into engagement with said line to release said lockingdevice when said jaw is in a predetermined position. Y

4. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws for holding acomposed line of matrices, a mold, means for advancing said mold intoengagement with said line, a metal pot containing molten type metal, areciprocable plunger positioned in said pot, and adapted to force moltenmetal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug, alocking device operative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger,and co-acting plunger rods carried by one of said jaws and operated bysaid mold as it advances into engagement with said line to release saidlocking device when said jaw is in a predetermined position.

5. In a slug casting machine havinga pair of.

vise jawsfor holding a composed line of matrices, means for renderingsaid line tight during which one of said jaws is moved to apredetermined position, a mold, means for advancing said mold intoengagement with said line, a metal pot containing molten type metal, areciprocable plunger positioned in said pot and adapted to force moltenmetal therefrom into said mold and against said line to form a slug, alocking device operative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger,and means carried by said displaced jaw andactuated by the advancementof said mold to release said locking device to permit the reciprocationof said plunger when said displaced jaw is in said predeterminedposition.

6. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws for holding acomposed line of matrices, means for rendering said line tight duringwhich one of said jaws is moved to a predetermined position, a mold,means for advancing said mold into engagement with said line, a metalpot containing molten type metal, a reciprocable plunger positioned insaid pot and adapted to force molten metal therefrom into said mold andagainst said line to form a slug, a locking device operative to preventthe reciprocation of said plunger, and co-acting means carried by saiddisplaced jaw and actuated by the advancement of said mold to releasesaid locking device when said displaced jaw is in said predeterminedposition.

7. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws for holding acomposed line of matrices, means for rendering said line tight duringwhich one of said jaws is moved to a predetermined position, a mold,means for advancing said mold into engagement with said line, a metalpot containing molten type metal, a reciprocable plunger positioned insaid pot and adapted to force molten metal therefrom into said mold andagainst said line to form a slug, a locking device operative to preventthe reciprocation of said plunger, and co-acting plunger rods carried bysaid displaced jaw and actuated by the advancement of said mold torelease said locking mechanism when said displaced jaw is in saidpredetermined position.

8. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws for holding acomposed line of matrices, means for justifying said line during whichone of said jaws Vis moved to a predetermined position, a mold, meansfor advancing said mold into engagement with said line, a metal potcontaining molten type metal, a reciprocable plunger positioned in saidpot and adapted to force molten metal therefrom into said mold andagainst said line to form a slug, a locking mechanism operative toprevent the reciprocation of said plunger, movable members carried bysaid displaced jaw and actuated by said mold as said mold is moved intoengagement with said line, and means responsive to the actuation of saidmembers and the movement of said jaw during line justification torelease said locking mechanism to permit the reciprocation of saidplunger.

9. In a slug casting machine having a pair of vise jaws for holding acomposed line of matrices, means for justifyingsaid line during whichone of said jaws is moved to a predetermined position, a mold, means foradvancing said mold into engagement with said line, co-acting plungerrods carried by said displaced jaw and yactuated by the advancement ofsaid mold, a metal pot containing molten metal, a reciprocable plungerpositioned in said pot and adapted to force molten metal therefrom intosaid mold and against said line to form a slug, a locking deviceoperative to prevent the reciprocation of said plunger, and meansresponsive to the movement of said jaw during line justification and theactuation of said co-acting plunger rods for releasing said lockingdevice to permit the reciprocation of said plunger.

ALFRED W. F. GUEST.

